What You Need to Read

In October 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was brutally murdered after leaving a bar in Laramie, Wyoming. His name has since been synonymous with anti-gay hate crimes.

In this work, Stephen Jimenez goes to Laramie in 2000 to investigate the story of Shepard’s murder, just two years after the two men convicted of killing Shepard had gone to prison. Jimenez travels to a total of 20 states and Washington, DC, interviewing over 100 sources.

Jimenez, who happens to be gay, aimed this work to be a screenplay but felt the need to share Shepard’s story in a different light – a dark narration filled with secrets and drug trafficking. The result? The Book of Matt reveals some troubling circumstances revolving around Shepard’s death and urges readers to take a closer look at sensationalized media coverage.

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

15-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot when the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, and she spoke out for her right to an education. I Am Malala takes readers through her inspirational story: from her recovery in Pakistan to her journey to the United Nations – and her nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, making her the youngest nominee ever.

MaddAddam

Out on shelves September 3rd, renowned poet and storyteller Margaret Atwood ends her trilogy (Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood) with this thrilling, post-apocalyptic tale. At the heart of the novel is the story of Zeb’s dark past. Adventurous, romantic, and inventive, Atwood’s work proves to be another grounded dystopian trilogy that echoes our present-day reality.

Tai Pei

Claimed by many to be Tao Lin’s strongest work, Tai Pei mirrors early Hemingway while simultaneously being poorly executed. Its protagonist, Paul, is a novelist in Brooklyn, and lives with his girlfriend, Erin. Their lives revolve around drugs, travelling, and modern lifestyles–allowing for a somewhat plot-less read, yet creating a heavy-handed allegory for a devolving life and technology.